Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-30
THE 'LONGSH0REMEN.
THE GREAT STRIKE CONTINUES 70
EXTEND.
The Number Of Men How Out NJ nber
Thirty Ihousand-The Interruption
TO Ocean and other Traffic.
rRr Telegraph to Tho nI,pntch. |


sion of the strike 10 the railroad freight
handlers on the piers OF several roads
having dock facilities on the city water
front has brought the number of men
now out up to nearly thirty thousand.
The probability is that before the day is
over other railroad employees will cease
work. The men on the New York city
and Northern railroad pier, East river,
claim to have had grievances against
the company on account OF the
low rate of wages, and also the irregu-
larity of pay-days, the men claiming
flat in some instances their pay was
more than a month overdue. Though
this is denied by the company the men,
through sympathy with the coal-shovel-
lers and steam ship 'longshoremen, went
out yesterday They were sent for 10y
Mr.. Allen, su, ,erintendent, but refused
to treat with him individually. The
railIoad-men on the Hartford dock,
East river, were next to go out, and it
is rumored that to-day the men on the
PENNSYLVANIA and other railroad docks
will 90 out.
The greatest difficulty in moving
freight is on the docks along the North
river, where most of the ocean steamers
are berthed. All outgoing vessels
have been delayed for want of coal,
and it was said at the headquarters of
the strikers that several vessels had pro-
ceeded to sea with an insufficient sup
ply Of coal, and also with incomplete
cargoes. Long lines of trucks were
standingalong the front Of the piers on
West street this morning, and the
drivers helped TO load them on the
dock. There is no difficulty in
getting men to load the freight I;
but as the men are green TO
the work, in most instances, they are
necessarily slow. The steamer La
Pourgognc, of the French Line, s3,.cd
this morning but it was stated that her
cargo was not complete. The Erin, of
the National Line, which should have
sailed on Thursday, could not get away
to-day, and an effort will be made TO
have her ready for sea at high water
on Sunday The Helyetia, of the
same line, still lies alongside
the dock with her cargo I'M
touched. Thc'stcvedore did not allow
the company the use of his gear, and
there are no sailors to rig upnew tackle.
The superintendent of the dock says he
has got all the men he needs. This
morning gang of about thirty, Of al
most all nationalities, applied for work.
They were not engaged, and, in IA body,
passed on to the Cunard pier and went
to work. The National Company did
not engage them because they were not
accustomed TO handling freight.
The Morgan-Line steamer FL Paso
was being unloaded by the Italians who
were engaged on the previous day.
His boat will sail on time, the super
intendent says. The New York, OF the
same line, came mp yesterday, but her
patches had not at 10 o'clock been
opened. The StoningtOn Line boats
are running on time.
The strike didnot affect this company
to any extent The Ocean Steamship
Ccmpany's steamer Tallahassee is being
loaded by non-union men, and the
agent says she will be ready for sea to-
day. There are plenty of men to be
had. and though they do not get the
work done as rapidly as the old men
the company is getting all the
help it requires. The Cunardcr Gal
liza viii he able to sail to-day.
The dockmaster said he had got
all the help he needed. The Gallia
was taking in coal this morning. On
the Old Dominion dock there were over
100 men at work to-day, and many men
who applied for work were turned away.
The steamer Old Dominion, twas said,
would sail on time. The Wyoming, of
the Guion Line, had three gangs of
men mt work on her. The doclEmaster
saws they can get all the coal that is re-
qnired and all the men they need to
handle the freight.
There seems to be a strong proba-
bility that within the next twenty-four
hours the strike situation in this vicinity
will be complicated 10y the tying mp of
almost every surface road in the city.
This step is said to be in contemplation
as an act of moral support to the
striking 'longshoremcn and coal-hand-
lcrs. The conductors on several OF the
roads declared this morning that the
tie-up was not only III contemplation,
but had been practically decided upon.
Great resentment was caused among
the drivers on Il particular line this
morning by an order from the super
intendent taking away their stools.
Heretofore it has been customary for
drivers to drive sitting down between
Forty-fourth and Eighty-sixth streets.
The drivers said that every man on the
road would strike unless the stools were
restored Independent of the proposed
movement to support the 'lonSshore-
men. A meeting of the employees of
the road will be held tonight, and the
stools will be demanded from the su-
perintendcnt. If hc refuses to give
them an order for strike will be sent
ont